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This paper presents a mathematical model to determine the minimum energy targets for a batch process with flexible schedule. Techniques developed for flexible-schedule batch processes typically result in nonlinear formulations. The proposed model was formulated as a mixed integer linear programming model (MILP). The model is developed based on the source-demand classification of process streams instead of the typical classification of hot and cold streams. In such classification, each stream is simultaneously treated as a source at its shifted supply temperature, and as a demand at its shifted target temperature. Such classification eliminates the model's non-linearity and reduces its complexity as well as the solution time. The mathematical model can be used to calculate the utility targets for a flexible-schedule batch process. Application of the proposed mathematical formulation demonstrates significant energy saving potential. The first illustrative example predicted a potential reduction of 11% cold utility and 14% hot utility. In the second illustrative example, up to 35% hot utility reduction and 62% cold utility reduction could be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper proposes a new frequency domain method to model the heat transfer between the injected/extracted heat and the temperature of the fluid exiting a borehole heat exchanger. The method is based on in situ measurements and focuses particularly on the short-term borehole heat transfer. It uses a rational function of the Warburg variable in the Laplace domain to model the borehole heat transfer. The rational model is transformed to a time domain model using inverse Laplace transformation. This time domain model makes it possible to calculate the temperature response on a random heat variation signal. The paper also demonstrates a new way to perform the classical thermal response test. Instead of injecting a constant amount of heat, the experiments have been performed using multiple short-duration heat injections. In this way, the obtained rational heat transfer model contains information about both the short- and the long-term heat transfer. The results obtained using the proposed modeling method are compared with those obtained from a state-of-the-art analytical method. The time domain model can be used to design a controller to optimize the performance of a Ground Source Heat Pump system, the efficiency of which depends strongly on the temperature of the fluid exiting the borehole. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, a transient numerical model for a liquid-to-air membrane energy exchanger (LAMEE) is developed and the results are compared to the experimental data. The data for the sensible, latent and total effectiveness are compared with transient and steady-state simulations for various values of NTU and operating parameters (Cr∗, inlet temperature and humidity) while the exchanger undergoes a step change in inlet conditions and reaches a new steady-state. The transient and steady-state performances are shown to be a function of the design and operating parameters. The paper also shows that buoyancy forces become important and affect the LAMEE performance under certain operating conditions. The verified numerical model is used to investigate the impact of outdoor air conditions on the LAMEE performance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper describes the application of exergy analysis to human heat and mass exchange with the indoor environment. The basis for this paper is the existence of a formal similarity between the parameters defining human heat and mass transfer governed by physiological processes and the parameters defining exergy destruction. Basic heat and mass transfer is calculated using a standard two-node human physiological model. To enable an exergy analysis the model was divided according to heat and mass transfer over appropriate boundaries. The exergy analysis was performed for each process with regard to the type of exergy that participates in heat and mass exchange with respect to the indoor environment. The results provide insight into the complex interactions between the human body and environment as characterized by exergy destruction. Furthermore, the analysis indicates that at given physiological parameters only a certain combination of environmental conditions ensures minimal exergy destruction. These environmental and human conditions coincide with expected level of thermal comfort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Enthalpy exchangers have been used as an efficient means to recover both sensible heat and moisture from exhaust ventilation air. A cross-flow plate-fin structure is the most popular arrangement for the exchanger core due to its compactness and high mechanical strength even with very small channel wall thickness. Traditionally, hygroscopic paper is selected as the plate and fin materials. Though the sensible effectiveness with this material is satisfactorily high, the latent effectiveness is disappointingly low due to the low moisture diffusivity in paper. To solve this problem, in this study, a novel concept is proposed to augment moisture transfer in the exchanger. Plates and fins are made with different materials. A novel membrane – the composite supported liquid membrane (CSLM) is used as the plate material. Paper is still used as the fin material for its cheapness and high support strength. To make comparisons, two cores, one is paper-fin and paper-plate, and another one is paper-fin and membrane-plate, are constructed and tested for heat and moisture recovery. Simultaneous heat and moisture transfer in the plate-fin core is studied. Mathematical model governing the heat and moisture transfer in the cores is set up and numerically solved. Both the experimental data and numerical results indicate that the latent effectiveness of the paper-fin and membrane-plate core is 60% higher than the traditional paper-fin and paper-plate core, due to the high moisture diffusivity in the CSLM. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The desirable operating conditions to achieve high operational efficiency are obtained. • The performance of the IEC under different operating conditions is investigated. • The mathematical model is validated against published data. • The optimal dimensions that give good efficiency in climates with moderate humidity are highlighted. [Display omitted] This paper presents a study investigating and analyzing the effect of heat and mass exchanger (HMX) dimensions and the flow parameters on the indirect evaporative cooler (IEC) system's performance. For this purpose, a mathematical model based on heat and mass transfer concepts was developed, and the model was verified using experimental and simulation results from published papers. Simulations were performed based on different operating and structural conditions affecting the outlet air temperature, cooling capacity, coefficient of performance, and wet-bulb efficiency. Results showed that the optimal dimensions that give good efficiency in climates with moderate humidity, the length of the duct should be between 0.6 to 1.0 m , the width of the channel between 0.3 to 0.5 m , and the channel gap between 0.004 to 0.008 m. It has also been observed that the increasing working air velocity has a positive effect on cooling performance, and its velocity should not be less than 1 m / s. As for increasing the product air velocity, it reduces the heat exchange period, which is undesirable, so it should not exceed 1 m / s. The prescribed flow rate ratio between product and working air should be 0.3 to 0.5. This analysis provides desirable operating conditions to achieve high operational efficiency as well as optimal dimensions for designing such a cooler. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a numerical study of heat and mass transfer in indirect evaporative air coolers with four air flow patterns: parallel-flow, counter-flow, cross-flow and regenerative. The numerical simulation was performed on the basis of original two-dimensional heat and mass transfer models (in the case of cross-flow heat exchanger the model was 3D). The mathematical models developed were validated against published experimental data presented in Appendix A . It was established, that heat and mass transfer processes in the wet channels of counter-flow, cross-flow and regenerative indirect evaporative coolers are characterized by creation of two particular heat and mass transfer zones. Detail analysis of the temperature and humidity ratio distributions and boundary conditions, characterizing the coupled heat and mass transfer process in each of these determined zones, revels the violation of the Lewis relation unity under a certain inlet and operation conditions. A theoretical method for estimating the Lewis factor was proposed. Using the developed models the thermal performances of the conventional designs of indirect evaporative air coolers were analyzed numerically and preferable climatic zones for considered heat exchanger were established. Four novel heat exchangers utilizing the advantages of the basic cycles heat exchangers were presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates a mathematical simulation of the heat and mass transfer in the two different Maisotsenko Cycle (M-Cycle) heat and mass exchangers used for the indirect evaporative cooling in different air-conditioning systems. A two-dimensional heat and mass transfer model is developed to perform the thermal calculations of the indirect evaporative cooling process, thus quantifying the overall heat exchangers’ performance. The mathematical model was validated against the experimental data. Numerical simulations reveal many unique features of the considered units, enabling an accurate prediction of their performance. Results of the model allow for comparison of the two types of heat exchangers in different applications for air conditioning systems in order to obtain optimal efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The formation of particulate deposits on flue gas heat exchanger surfaces will reduce heat transfer efficiency, increase the instability of equipment operation and introduce a major uncertainty into the heat exchanger design. In this paper, a numerical model was developed to predict the flue-ash particle deposition rate by considering particles transport, sticking and rebound behaviors based on the software FLUENT, extended by user-defined functions (UDFs). The numerical model was applied to cross-flow tube bundle heat exchangers with a 6-row tube arrangement. The effects of six parameters (particle diameter, flow velocity, spanwise tube pitch, longitudinal tube pitch, tube geometry shape, and arrangement) on fouling rate, as well as on the heat transfer and hydrodynamics performance, were examined. It was found that particle deposits accumulated primarily in the flow stagnation region, recirculation region, the vortex separation and reattachment regions. Increasing particle diameter moved the deposition zones towards the windward side of tubes. Using both oval tubes and staggered arrangements can reduce the fouling rate. With the increase in longitudinal tube pitch, both the particulate deposit rate and the heat transfer performance increased. To account for fouling and heat transfer performance, a tube spacing value of 2 was recommended. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Conventional network structure modifications for retrofitting heat exchanger networks (HENs) usually require a large network superstructure, which might lead to very large scale retrofit models, and thus increases the computational difficulties of optimization, especially for industrial applications. This paper presents a novel optimization approach of retrofitting HENs for both small scale and industrial scale problems. To overcome the drawback of the existing retrofit research, a simple but efficient method is proposed to determine the network retrofit superstructure based on the concept of pinching match. Then two optimization stages (network structure optimization and investment optimization) are solved with the MILP-based iteration method that has been developed. The proposed approach has many benefits for solving HEN retrofit problems. First, smaller size of retrofit superstructure is provided based on the pinching match analysis. Second, the MILP-based iteration method developed converts conventional a mixed integer non-linear programming (MINLP) to a mixed integer linear programming (MILP), and significantly reduce the computational difficulties of nonlinear programming associated with configurational changes or structural modifications for existing heat exchanging arrangements, which is upgraded based on the MILP-based iterative method proposed by Pan et al. (2012a) for retrofitting HENs with heat transfer intensifications, as the earlier work was only applicable to the cases without network topology modification. In case studies, the new proposed approach is compared with the existing methods in two literature examples and one industrial problem, demonstrating that the new proposed approach is able to obtain better and more realistic solutions for HEN retrofitting considering the economic trade-offs between energy savings and investments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Heat transfer by natural convection occurs in many physical problems and engineering applications such as geothermal systems, heat exchangers, petroleum reservoirs and nuclear waste repositories. These problems and phenomena are modeled by ordinary or partial differential equations. In most cases, experimental solutions cannot be applied to these problems, so these equations should be solved using special techniques. Recently, much attention has been devoted to these methods to construct analytic solutions; such as the perturbation method. Perturbation techniques are dependent upon small parameter. Thus, it is worthwhile developing a new technique independent of small parameter. The Reconstruction of Variational Iteration Method technique is a powerful and convenient algorithm in finding the solutions for the equations. While this method is capable of reducing the size of calculation, it overcomes the difficulty of the perturbation technique or Adomian polynomials by applying Laplace Transform. In this paper an analysis has been performed to study the natural convection of a non-Newtonian fluid between two infinite parallel vertical flat plates and the effects of the non-Newtonian nature of fluid on the heat transfer are studied. In order to compare with exact solution, velocity and temperature profiles are shown graphically. The obtained results are valid with significant accuracy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents results obtained from a numerical simulation for the horizontal slinky-loop heat exchanger of a ground-source heat pump system. A three-dimensional numerical model was developed and the results of the thermal performance of various heat exchanger configurations are presented. The investigation was carried out on five types of loop pitch (loop spacing), three types of loop diameter, three values of soil thermal properties, and allowing continuous and intermittent operation. Comparison was made for the heat transfer rate, the amount of pipe material needed, as well as excavation work required for the horizontal slinky-loop heat exchanger. The results indicate that system parameters have a significant effect on the thermal performance of the system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper a numerical model to analyze the thermal behaviour of vertical ground heat exchangers with a helical shaped pipe is presented. This type of configuration can be a suitable alternative to conventional ground heat exchangers, especially when the heating and cooling loads of the building are very low. The model describes the heat transfer problem by means of a network of interconnected thermal resistances and capacitances. Moreover, as the investigated ground heat exchanger is usually installed in shallow depth, the model takes into account the interaction between the ground and the ambient environment which affects the fluid heat carrier temperature into the heat exchanger and, as a consequence, the energy efficiency of the heat pump. After a sensitivity analysis on the mesh parameters, the presented model is compared with experimental data and the simulation results show good agreement with the measurements. Finally, analyses to investigate the influence of the weather conditions, of the axial heat transfer and of the pitch between the turns of the helical pipe for two types of ground are carried out. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Many energy conversion and other thermal-fluid systems exhibit unsteady convective heat exchange. In such systems, generic spatiotemporal variations in the flow give rise to variations in the heat flux for a given fluid–solid temperature difference, which can be interpreted as spatiotemporal fluctuations of the instantaneous heat transfer coefficient. These variations can lead to unsteady conjugate heat transfer, in which the exchanged heat flux arises from an interaction between the bulk fluid temperature and the temperature in the solid. Further, the nonlinear coupling between the fluctuating temperature differences and the heat transfer coefficient can lead to an effect we refer to as augmentation, which quantitatively describes the ability of a particular arrangement to have a different time-mean heat flux from the product between the mean heat transfer coefficient and the mean temperature difference across the fluid. It is important to be able to understand and to model in a simple framework the effects of the material properties, the geometry and the character of the heat transfer coefficient on the thermal response of the fluid–solid system, and consequently to predict the overall heat transfer performance of these systems. This paper, which follows on from its predecessor [1], is concerned with the phenomenon of augmentation in simple, one-dimensional, unsteady and conjugate fluid–solid systems. A simple semi-analytical one-dimensional model of heat transfer with a time-varying heat transfer coefficient, which was presented in Mathie and Markides [1], is applied herein to two different paradigm problems. Such a model can be an important tool in the design of improved heat exchangers and thermal insulation, through for example, the novel selection of materials to exploit these augmentation effects. The first flow considered is a thin, wavy fluid film flowing over a heated plate. This film flow exhibits a periodic fluctuation in the heat transfer coefficient, that is linked to the wavy interfacial deformations of free surface of the liquid film. The second flow considered concerns the heat transfer behind a backwards-facing step, which exhibits broadband fluctuations in the heat transfer coefficient due to the flow separation and turbulence behind the step. The model predictions of the augmentation ratio for these problems are also compared to direct measurements from each case. Good agreement is observed with the experimental results for the global heat transfer trends. In both cases the augmentation ratio was negative, reflecting a reduction in time-averaged heat transfer. For the backwards-facing step flow a low magnitude of augmentation ratio was observed, however, the thin film flows exhibited augmentation ratios of as high as 10%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents an experimental and numerical case study of the heat transfer around the helical ground heat exchanger. With varying helical pitch, indoor thermal response tests were conducted in a dry sand. The tests were analyzed based on axisymmetric finite element analyses and recently published heat source models for spiral coil heat exchanger including our modifications of them by adding finite-length line source solution to consider vertical return pipe at center of helical heat exchanger. In addition to reasonable agreements in soil temperature rises at exteriors the helical heat exchanger, existence of return pipe was found to be important for estimation of heat transfer inside helical exchanger. Besides, the heat source models were found to be applicable to approximate mean fluid temperature during TRTs. The numerical and analytical models were applied to field thermal response test for an energy pile reported in literature. Compared with numerically estimations, the analytical solutions considerably overestimated temperature rise at the exterior of the energy pile. The results reveal that reasonable considerations in estimation of effective thermal properties may be needed when applying the heat source models for energy pile, even though they would evaluate reliable heat transfer behavior of helical heat exchanger embedded in a homogeneous ground. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The application of ground heat exchangers (GHEs) has attracted much attention for its advantages in terms of energy-saving and emission-reduction. Therefore, it is significant to introduce heat transfer into investigation, the paper illustrated the existing heat transfer models in order to analyze the GHEs with buried coils. Line heat source, cylindrical heat source and ring-coil heat source are introduced step by step. For the present, the borehole GHEs are the mainstream, and in recent years pile foundation GHEs have been followed with interest on account of heat transfer superiority as well as lowering initial cost and saving land area. Concerning that groundwater flow exist in geological stratum sometimes, so that the thermal analysis about heat transfer should be composed of two cases, i.e. models under the condition of both pure conduction and combination that include conduction and advection. It is obvious that ring-coil model is on the verge of actual situation for pile foundation GHEs with buried coils from the academic research perspectives, nevertheless for some engineering computation problems which the result error can be permitted in the certain range, other heat transfer models can be chosen in order to simplify the calculation process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Heat transfer intensification is an effective technique for improving energy recovery in heat exchanger networks (HEN) by enhancing heat transfer without any network topology modifications. In this paper, a novel optimization method has been developed for the synthesis of intensified heat exchanger networks with a simple mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model under retrofit scenario, and a robust solution strategy based on two iteration loops has been proposed. The new method has distinctive advantages over existing design methods, as the new MILP model can effectively and significantly reduce computational difficulties associated with nonlinear formulation in existing HEN retrofit formulations. Three cases have been tested to demonstrate the validity and efficiency of the proposed approach, which requires very short computational times to obtain optimal solutions when energy saving or profit is to be maximised through retrofit. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Thermal energy storage (TES) has shown potential in improving the overall performance in energy systems, through shifting of thermal load demand, and through matching of uneven energy availability in time and in space. Latent heat TESs demonstrate advantages over sensible heat TESs for their high storage density and small temperature swing; however, lack of accurate knowledge in novel material properties and lack in a holistic design protocol often lead to difficulties in reaching technically viable storage design. With the aim of proposing a sound latent heat based TES design-to-validation protocol, this paper covers material property characterization through Temperature-history (T-history) method, heat exchanger design through heat transfer modeling, and model validation through experimental verification. A model for submerged cylindrically finned heat exchanger latent heat storage unit with phase change material was built. The results show that performance of gelled salt-hydrate based TES can be assessed with a pure conduction based model. This material property characterization-to-model verification approach may serve as a standard in providing accurate storage design for performance evaluation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The wave-finned flat tube heat exchangers are widely used in air-cooled condensers of a power plant. Due to the oblique arrangement of the wavy fins on the A-frame tube bundles of the air-cooled condenser, the finned tube is prone to fouling thus the thermo-flow performances of air-cooled condensers are likely to become deteriorated. A new configuration of wave-finned flat tube, in which the fin surface rotates to be perpendicular, is proposed in this paper to prevent the fouling from gathering on the finned tube. The physical and mathematical models for the fluid and heat flows of the cooling air through the present and proposed wave-finned flat tube bundles are setup, and the thermo-flow characteristics are compared. For the proposed finned tube, the influences of the fin pitch, height and the Reynolds number on the flow and heat transfer performances are investigated, and the correlations of the friction factor and Nusselt number are recommended. The results show that the buoyancy effect should be taken into account for the correlation of the friction factor at low Reynolds numbers, but this buoyancy force can be ignored for the Nusselt number. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Phase change materials (PCMs) can store large amounts of heat or cooling in a small amount of material, they potentially have less weight and volume compared with other thermal energy storage materials. Thermal energy storage applications such as solar hot water systems and off peak refrigeration systems are able to use PCMs to store heat or cooling. However, research has shown that the effectiveness of these systems heavily depends on the arrangement of the PCM system, which affects both the storage density and the thermal resistance to heat transfer. However, specifying as well as determining an effective PCM system has been difficult in the past because it involves using numerical modelling which is time consuming. This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation carried out on a tube-in-tank design filled with PCM for cold storage applications. The PCMs used are salt hydrate with phase change temperature of −27°C and water. From the experimental measurements, the average heat exchange effectiveness of the storage tank was determined and a characteristic design curve has been developed as a function of the measured average NTU. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to study a method to achieve sub-wet bulb temperature by indirect evaporative cooling of air (without using a vapor compression machine). For this purpose, an analytical model is developed based on the effectiveness-NTU method (ε-NTU). The main idea for achieving a sub-wet bulb temperature by indirect evaporative cooling of air is by indirectly pre-cooling the working air before it enters the wet passage. It is shown that a modified analytical model for indirect evaporative coolers could be based on the ε-NTU method for sensible heat exchangers when proper adjustments are made by redefining the potential gradients, transfer coefficient, heat capacity rate parameters and assuming a linear saturation temperature-enthalpy relation of air. This modified model is used to find the performance of a regenerative indirect evaporative cooler. The model results show very good agreement with results from experimental measurements and a numerical model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A number of design methods have been proposed for the retrofit of heat exchanger networks (HEN) during the last three decades. Although considerable potential for energy savings can be identified from conventional retrofit approaches, the proposed solutions have rarely been adopted in practice, due to significant topology modifications required and resulting engineering complexities during implementation. The intensification of heat transfer for conventional shell-and-tube heat exchangers can eliminate the difficulties of implementing retrofit in HEN which are commonly restricted by topology, safety and maintenance constraints, and includes high capital costs for replacing equipment and pipelines. This paper presents a novel design approach to solve HEN retrofit problems based on heat transfer enhancement. A mathematical model has been developed to evaluate shell-and-tube heat exchanger performances, with which heat-transfer coefficients and pressure drops for both fluids in tube and shell sides are obtained. The developed models have been compared with the Bell-Delaware, simplified Tinker and Wills–Johnston methods and tested with the HTRI® and HEXTRAN® software packages. This demonstrates that the new model is much simpler but can give reliable results in most cases. For the debottlenecking of HEN, four heuristic rules are proposed to identify the most appropriate heat exchangers requiring heat transfer enhancements in the HEN. The application of this new design approach allows a significant improvement in energy recovery without fundamental structural modifications to the network. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The use of groundwater for cooling and heating purposes is of interest from both the economical and the ecological perspective. The groundwater heat pump (GWHP) system utilizes groundwater as alternative renewable and clean energy source for space heating and/or cooling, withdraws water from a production well, passes it through a heat exchanger and discharges the water into an injection well. By utilizing the relatively stable temperature of groundwater, GWHP system can achieve a higher coefficient of performance. Due to the utilization of groundwater stored in the aquifer, the assessment of the hydraulic capacity of the aquifer based on numerical groundwater models is always needed for the optimum design and the efficient performance of GWHP. In this paper, numerical methods of underground heat-water transfer, energy balance method and thermal storage method were presented to calculate the capacity of unit area of shallow groundwater aquifer. The model results indicate that the numerical method, which is based on performance efficiency of GWHP, represents the behaviour of groundwater pumping/recharging processes, and serves better than energy balance method and thermal storage method, in addition it has been proven itself that this method has the advantages of energy saving and environmental protection. The calculated capacity is positively related to aquifer thickness. It is found that it is easy for ground water recharge in alluvial and pluvial fan located at the piedmont, while the calculated capacity is relatively smaller compared with that of south-east plain where it is not easy for groundwater recharge. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper investigates the transient heat conduction around the buried spiral coils which could be applied in the ground-coupled heat pump systems with the pile foundation as a geothermal heat exchanger. A transient ring-coil heat source model is developed, and the explicit analytical solutions for the temperature response are derived by means of the Green’s function theory and the image method. The influences of the coil pitch and locations are evaluated and discussed according to the solutions. In addition, comparisons between the ring-coil and cylindrical source models give that the improved finite ring-coil source model can accurately describe the heat transfer process of the pile geothermal heat exchanger (PGHE). The analytical solutions may provide a desirable and better tool for the PGHE simulation/design. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The work presented in this paper investigates the degradation effect of flow maldistribution on the thermal and hydraulic performance of a heat exchanger. A new mathematical model is derived based on Taylor series expansion to describe the contribution of each of the four statistical moments of distribution on the degradation problem. It is found that the first two moments, i.e. mean and standard deviation, have the highest effect on the performance degradation. Subsequent higher moments will give declining degradation effects until the fourth moment, kurtosis, which has no significant effect. Maldistribution with low standard deviation and high positive skew will give low thermal deteriorations, though a distribution with negative skew is preferred for low hydraulic performance losses. The design of the heat exchanger could be modified to give these favourable moments which would minimize the degradation effects of the maldistribution. Consequently, any effort to modify the flow distribution profile should be focused on optimizing the first three moments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The ground-coupled heat pump (GCHP) systems have been identified as one of the best sustainable energy technologies for space heating and cooling in buildings. While the foundation piles of buildings are used to partly take the place of boreholes in the ground heat exchanger (GHE) in recent years, the classical approaches of the line heat source model and the “hollow” cylindrical heat source model for the borehole GHEs fail for thermal analysis and design of the pile GHEs. Evolved from the classical models, a new “solid” cylindrical source model is presented in this paper to consider both the radial dimension and the heat capacity of the borehole or pile. Expressions of the analytical solution are derived for 1-D and 2-D new models by means of the Green’s function method. Results obtained from the new 1-D model are compared with the classical line source and “hollow” cylindrical source models of the borehole GHE, and also validated by a numerical solution of the same model. While the 1-D and 2-D solid cylindrical source models can provide adequate tools for design and simulation of the pile GHEs, improvement can also be achieved in simulating the temperature response of the borehole GHEs, especially for short time steps. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, laminar and turbulent flows in channels are considered. The primary interest for industrial purpose is a macroscale description of mean flow quantities derived from the microscopic details of the flow in each subchannel. A double averaging procedure has been used to derive balance equations for mean flow variables within laminar and turbulent regimes. This up-scaling procedure results in additional contributions, amongst which dispersion predominates. Thermal dispersion might be seen as the sum of a first contribution, hereafter denoted “passive”, due to velocity heterogeneities, and a second one, called “active”, due to wall heat transfer. The aim of the present work is to propose practical models for thermal dispersion that account for laminar and turbulent regimes. Embedded in CFD code, they are validated against RANS simulations. Our results illustrate the importance of thermal dispersion for heated flows in the presence of nonuniform wall heat flux or temperature jumps. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A single-blow transient test technique based on axial dispersion model is proposed for the determination of both heat transfer coefficient and axial dispersion coefficient in plate heat exchangers, characterized by NTU and dispersive Peclet number respectively. The present experimental analysis deals with the effect of flow maldistribution on the transient temperature response for U-type plate heat exchangers. The experiments are carried out with uniform and non-uniform flow distributions for various flow rates and two different numbers of plates. Special effort has been made to differentiate the deviation from plug flow due to flow maldistribution and fluid backmixing. The fluid axial dispersion is used to characterize the backmixing and other deviations from plug flow. Due to unequal distribution of the fluid, the velocity of the fluid varies from channel to channel and hence the heat transfer coefficient variations are also taken into consideration. The computed outlet fluid temperatures are compared with experimental outlet temperatures, and the values of dispersive Peclet numbers are estimated. The results indicate that in order to get parameters independent of the number of plate used in single-blow experiment, it is essential to isolate flow maldistribution from backmixing. This paper has brought out a practical way in which this isolation can be done in the process of data reduction through suitable computational model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents a heat and mass transfer simulation of an adsorber, taking into consideration the geometry of the heat exchanger and the diffusion in the adsorbent medium. In this model, an increment in the direction of heating/cooling fluid containing one (or more) fin pitch was considered. In the domain of this increment, the distribution of the adsorbent temperature was evaluated in the radial and axial directions. The model is validated by experimental data of different adsorbents, volume flows and temperatures. All data were collected in an adsorber test-bench at Fraunhofer ISE. As a result it was found a coefficient of multiple determination of around 0.94 and an error of 20% during the transient. Finally, the model was run on typical operation for cooling application and compared with data from literature. A numerical energy balance was also evaluated. In summary, the results obtained by a independent group shows the same range of confidence of the model developed here, in terms of the tendency of the curves and even the absolute values. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The paper presents detailed numerical study of heat transfer enhancement by a spherical dimple placed on a wall in a narrow channel. RANS approach with MSST model is applied to investigate the influence of the depth to diameter ratio Δ and the Reynolds number on the flow and heat transfer. Numerical model was successfully validated using LDV measurements, pressure loss data and LES results. Special attention is paid to identification of the flow topology at different Δ and Reynolds numbers. Contribution of different heat exchanger surface parts to the heat transfer enhancement is analyzed. Application of entropy production as a criterion of heat exchanger efficiency is discussed. Detailed information gained from the present computations can be used to get a deep insight into flow physics over dimpled surfaces and as a benchmark for validation of numerical and experimental methods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In Part І, a numerical model for coupled heat and moisture transfer in a run-around heat and moisture exchanger with a liquid desiccant coupling fluid is developed. The numerical model is two dimensional, transient and is formulated using the finite difference method with an implicit time discretization. The results from the numerical model for the case of only heat transfer for a single heat exchanger are compared to an available analytical solution and good agreement is obtained. For the simultaneous heat and moisture transfer in the run-around membrane energy exchanger (RAMEE), a comparison between numerical model results and experimental measurements obtained from laboratory testing for both sensible and latent effectiveness showed satisfactory agreement at different operating conditions. Part II of this paper applies the model for a range of initial conditions . [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the present study, a 3D numerical simulation of a whole heat exchanger with middle-overlapped helical baffles is carried out by using commercial codes of GAMBIT 2.3 and FLEUNT 6.3. At first, the computational model and numerical method of the whole heat exchanger with middle-overlapped helical baffles is presented in detail, and parallel computation mode is adopted for the simulation of a whole heat exchanger with six cycles of the middle-overlapped helical baffles of 40° helical angle on a grid system of 13.5-million cells; second, the validation of the computational model is performed by comparing the total pressure drop and average Nusselt number of the whole heat exchanger with experimental data. Reasonably good agreement is obtained, and the reasons causing to the discrepancy are analyzed. The shell-side fluid pressure and temperature fields of the whole area are then presented. Finally the cycle average Nusselt number of different cycle in the heat exchanger are compared and it is found that within the accuracy allowed in engineering computation, periodic model for one cycle can be used to investigate the heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics for different heat exchanger to save computational source. The companion paper will provide details of simulation results using the periodic model for different helical angles and different structures of helical baffles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the paper, numerical and experimental analyses of heat and mass transfer during frost formation on a fin-and-tube heat exchanger have been presented. Modelling of the frost formation on cold surfaces placed in a humid air stream, requires a complex mathematical approach. A transient two-dimensional mathematical model of frost formation has been developed. The applied mathematical model has been defined using governing equations for the boundary layer that include air and frost sub-domains as well as a boundary condition on the air–frost interface. The mathematical model with initial and boundary conditions has been discretised according to the finite volume method and solved numerically using the SIMPLER algorithm for the velocity–pressure coupling. Results have shown that the frost layer formation significantly influences the heat transfer between air and fins. As a result of numerical calculations, time-wise frost thickness variations for different air humidities, temperatures and velocities have been presented. Using the developed mathematical model, the algorithm and the computer code, which have been experimentally validated, it is possible to predict a decrease of exchanged heat flux in the heat exchanger under frost growth conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The paper presents the geometry of infinite regular polyhedrons that can be used to construct the heat exchange units. The basic structural component of the infinite solid consists of six hexagons, which meet in the common vertex. The mathematical model of heat and mass transfer inside the labyrinth heat exchanger is shown. The first and the second Kirchhoff’s laws are used to simulate fluid flow distribution at hydraulic network created with connected basic solids. Heat balance equations are adopted to describe forced convection heat transfer inside developed heat exchanger. Good accordance among the experimental data and calculation results over whole simulation range is obtained. The efficiency and thermal characteristic of the labyrinth heat exchanger is presented in the form of graphs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The paper presents the development of a complete analytical model of a thermoelectric generator (TEG). Based on data coming from a small number of easily obtainable measurements, the model makes it possible to determine basic parameters of the TEG. Owing to measurements performed in the steady state and immediately after a rapid change of the TEG electrical state, the following quantities can be established analytically: the Seebeck coefficient, thermal conductivity and thermal resistance between heat exchangers and the TEG. The applied rapid method is based on the large difference in inertia between the electric and the thermal field. A rapid change from the short-circuit to the open-circuit electrical state makes it possible to record the voltage for the system thermal state corresponding to the short circuit. Experimental tests were carried out on a commercially available thermoelectric generator and the results proved the developed model usefulness. The simulation results show that the thermal resistance of the contact layers between the heat exchangers and the thermoelectric generators caused a loss of the temperature difference of the junctions from 30% at the recommended mechanical load to even over 50% if the clamping force was too low. Due to that, the determined power ratio, being an indicator of the utilization of the theoretical power capacity of a system burdened with thermal resistance, reaches values lower than 40% for the required clamping force and is below 20% for improper contact conditions The impact of the accuracy of the measurements on the values of the system parameters obtained from the model is evaluated by means of sensitivity analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, a rigorous MILP formulation for grass-root design of heat exchanger networks is developed. The methodology does not rely on traditional supertargeting followed by network design steps typical of the Pinch Design Method, nor is a non-linear model based on superstructures, but rather gives cost-optimal solutions in one step. Unlike most models, it considers splitting, non-isothermal mixing and it counts shells/units. The model relies on transportation/transshipment concepts that are complemented with constraints that allow keeping track of flow rate consistency when splitting takes place and with mechanisms to count heat exchanger shells and units. Several examples from the literature were tested, finding that the model usually obtains better solutions. In some cases, the model produced unknown solutions that were not found using superstructure optimization methods, even when the same pattern of matches is used. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]